Keith Richard's former son-in-law inquest suicide conclusion

Dominic Jennings, 45, took his own life being after claims he was "trying to look up little girls' skirts" and "coax them away from their parents" went viral on social media.

Following his death, ex-wife Angela Richards - daughter of the Rolling Stones star - said it was "a shame it has come to this all over social media".

Mr Jennings - who had been on tour with the legendary rockers - was detained by members of the public in Bognor as a result of the online posts.

Police investigated and decided to take no further action against Mr Jennings, who was born in Crawley, but they were unable to stop the posts from circulating.

An inquest in Crawley heard how Mr Jennings told family "there’s no coming back from that" before walking out in front of a train.

Keith Richards was one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones

In a tearful statement, his twin sister Kirsty Jennings said: “He was tortured by the social media. It has destroyed our family and friends for ever.

“He had half of my heart and he has taken it with him.”

Mr Jennings married Ms Richards in a lavish £250,000 wedding in 1998.

They were together for 15 years before eventually breaking up.

The inquest heard that Mr Jennings, who had lived in France for a number of years, suffered from addiction and mental health problems after they split.

After returning to the UK, he ended up living in a B&B in Bognor while he tried to quit drinking.

The inquest heard how he had been arrested and released following allegations he tried to steal a dog and then exposed himself on Bognor beach.

On July 21 last year someone from Bognor posted on Facebook about Mr Jennings, warning parents to "please be extra watchful of your children".

The Facebook user wrote: "Old man sat watching the children for over half an hour, was then seeing trying to look up little girls' skirts and trying to coax them away from their parents and over to him.

"I confronted him, he then moved to a group of teenage girls at the other end of the park, telling them how hot and sexy they were.

"Myself and a mum from the park confronted him again asking if he knew any of the children and what was he doing? He mumbled some b******* about knowing it was wrong.

"We then told him we were calling the police, he then rode off before the police arrived."

A photo of Dominic Jennings was posted on social media, he was later arrested for his own safety

Photographs of Mr Jennings were circulated on social media.

Locals who recognised him from these images seized him and called in the police.

At the time, it was claimed he had been seen talking to a young boy.

Another Facebook user wrote: "We stopped and made sure the boy was safe and held and surrounded the man there till the police finally arrived 20 mins later.

"Good deed of the day done.

"One more nonce off our streets, justice was done."

Mr Jennings was arrested for his own safety before being released soon after.

His long-time friend Robin Clapton said he believed there had been a "misunderstanding" and that Mr Jennings had been "goaded" into an argument.

He said: "People are vile, on some self-appointed moral crusade.

"He hadn’t had a haircut for a long time because of lockdown and was starting to look a bit dishevelled.

"He never, ever, ever displayed any inclination towards young children."

When news of the Facebook allegations reached his landlady, she took all Mr Jennings' belongings to a police station and said he was no longer welcome at her B&B.

Emergency accommodation could not be found.

Mr Jennings tried to stay with a friend in Chichester but was turned away.

The inquest heard that in the hours before his death, Mr Jennings called his father Cyril to say his life was over.

He also phoned his brother to say he was planning to jump in front of a train.

A massive police search was launched with a helicopter sent out to try and find him.

He was seen climbing a fence near a railway bridge between Chichester and Bognor.

Minutes later, Mr Jennings stepped out of the tunnel in front of a train - he was hit within seconds.

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Mr Jennings was found to be three times over the drink drive limit at the time of his death.

The inquest heard how a friend later found police paperwork along with a note saying, 'Tell everyone I’m innocent'.

In a written statement, Ms Richards said her ex-husband struggled with drink and drug problems after their divorce.

She said: "I wasn't going to comment but unfortunately he has been on a downward slope for the last 15 years.

"I know his family have desperately tried to help but he hasn't accepted it.

"It's a shame it has come to this all over social media but he is not the man you all once knew.”

West Sussex Coroner Alicia Keen recorded a conclusion of suicide.

She said: “Members of the public had detained him purely on the basis of social media posts which hadn’t been investigated at the time.

“They were generally unsubstantiated.

“He had a conversation with a couple of young people but there was very little else and police felt they were unable to charge him.

“I understand the effect of that was when he spoke to his brother and father and said, ‘There’s no coming back from that’.”

“He was very upset about allegations made against him on social media. He said there was no way forward and was phoning to say goodbye.

“Both his father and sister said it had been deeply distressing for him and this was the tipping point.”

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